Observatory for Migration

With the Observatory for Migration the High Commission for Migration (ACM) aims to deepen the knowledge about the reality of migration in Portugal, in order to define, implement and evaluate effective integration policies for immigrant populations and sustainable return for Portuguese emigrants.

The Observatory for Migration is an informal unit within the High Commission for Migration, which is accountable for the study and strategic and scientific monitoring of migration. It succeeds to the Immigration Observatory, created in 2002 under the ACIME (High Commission for Immigration and Ethnic Minorities).

The Observatory for Migration is responsible for launching studies and highly relevant conference organization for the understanding of the migratory phenomena in Portugal.

The areas of work of the new observatory include, namely, the deepening of knowledge about the new immigration profiles, such as students, entrepreneurs, retirees and investors, as well as cooperation with other entities, public and private, national and international, including universities, observatories, statistical agencies and research centers.

Following the change of the bodies of the High Commission for Migration, the Observatory is dedicated to the integrated study of the emigration / immigration binomial, particularly as regards the return of Portuguese emigrants to the country and the integration of immigrants in Portugal.

The philosophy of work of the Observatory is a subsidiary regards all institutions and research teams engaged systematically the subject of the study of migration. Accordingly, the Migration Observatory intends to intervene essentially as an activity catalyst and a promoter of networks of academic cooperation, scientific and institutional only where this is beneficial for better public understanding of the issues and themes that are its dominant concern.

The Observatory does not have its own structure nor is provided with a permanent team. It has a direction that is responsible for the respective scientific activity, and reports to the High Commission in achieving the objectives for which it was created. The budget of the Observatory is integrated into the ACM.